Red and Gold are auspicious colors in the Chinese culture…we used just a touch of gold in the pins on her bridal bouquet!

Oh, Jennifer and Mary – how I love you both!  Love this photo!!!!!  These dresses were so fun and the hydrangea and rose color combo gave a yummy sorbet look!  Look how cute this bridesmaid is with her matching nail color!  LOVE IT!

Just have to make this note here…carnations rock!!!  Look at our carnation pomander here!  Again, yummy!  We tied them to the back of the bride and groom’s chairs after the ceremony. Unfortunately it rained and we had to move the ceremony indoors.

The bride changed her dress twice at the reception which is part of the Chinese wedding tradition.  Here is her beautiful 1st wedding gown.  I love the detail of the bow that had stunning, rough eco-friendly edges. Love, love, love the dress!!!

Here she is dancing in her second dress, a red and gold Chinese gown with the phoenix and the dragon embroidered on the dress.  Absolutely beautiful.  This was a surprise for the groom!

Find out more about Chinese Wedding Traditions in my upcoming book: The Everything Wedding Book, 4th Edition! 

Here she is with her her groom in her 3rd gown!  A stunning orange evening gown!

Everyone’s breath was taken away by the Chinese Lion Dancers!

The couple, so genuinely dedicated to each other and their traditions, had a day full of delightful Jewish and Chinese fanfare.  From the festive dragonfly kippot for the wedding party to the Horah!  The wedding day began with photos followed by the Jewish ceremony of the Bedeken and Ketubah (Jewish Wedding contract) signing.

Next was the wedding ceremony underneath the chuppah with beautiful music played on the Chinese guzheng.

The bride and groom were wrapped in the groom’s tallit by the mother of the groom, who performed the ceremony.   I absolutely adore this shot of the bride and groom.  Simply in love.  

Of course, no Jewish wedding is complete without Horah dancing!!!

There are so many other details from this wedding…but I will wait to post them to the website at a later time!  Congratulations to Susanna and Ariel!

Mazel Tov!

Katie Martin

I heard that Barbara from The Observatory was their photographer – so I am excited to see those photos!  I loved Claire’s color palette of ice blues, lavenders and cool greens.  Her bouquet was definitely the favorite that I made this past weekend!

Then Stephanie and Kevin delivered our striking monochromatic deep red floral designs to Marie for her wedding at Holy Trinity in Georgetown and their reception 101 Constitution’s rooftop terrace (by the way, catered by Avalon Caterers!)  Here is a peek at their centerpieces consisting of burgundy dupioni silk covered vases filled with bursting peonies, mini calla lilies, tulips and roses:

Arney, Tara and Charlie consulted and delivered flowers and installed lanterns at the GW River Farm for Claire S.’s wedding!  Here is Claire’s beautiful and traditional bridal bouquet:

Miguel, Chrishaun, Lauren and I had a fantastic time while consulting and doing the chuppah and floral designs for Susan and Matt’s ceremony at the Historic 6th & I Synagogue. The ceremony was followed by a festive and fun reception at the Woman’s National Democratic Club complete with our blue and pink colored glass candy jars filled with 30 different types of candy! I was able to take a quick sneak photo of their ceremony for you!  Eli Turner will have photos for us soon!  We also had the pleasure of having Chris Dunn play classical guitar for both the ceremony and cocktail hour.  If you have not had a chance to hear Chris play, he is truly THE classical guitarist in the Baltimore-Washington area!  We loved working with Susan from the beginning and truly enjoyed the day!  Mazel Tov Susan & Matt!

Then Tinica and Jeannine were at the Omni Shoreham for Leila’s wedding!  We do not have any photos from that wedding yet!  We did not do the flowers for them, but helped to coordinate their large and elegant Persian-American wedding!

Yes – all of the above was on Saturday!

Then – we went back to the Omni Shoreham on Sunday for Susanna and Ariel’s wedding!  All I can say is that it was fabulous, fabulous, fabulous!  A truly cultural event with both Susanna’s Chinese culture infused with Ariel’s Jewish traditions.  Complete with a fabulous (and auspicious) gold and red dragonfly (a symbol of summer and happiness) embroidered topper for their chuppah and yarmulkes to the exciting performance by Lion Dancers at the reception. The bride changed her dress twice during the reception (as is customary in traditional Chinese weddings)!  There are so many details from this wedding, I could probably write a small book about it.  I don’t have photos yet – but Jennifer Domenick and Mary Gardella Hester of Love Life Images were both there to capture the moments!  I will post their wedding photos and more photos from the above weddings as I receive them from the various photographers over the next couple of weeks!  

More to come, Congratulations to all of our couples this weekend! – Katie Martin